Not everyone may take notice, but hearing loss is actually one of the common disorders affecting a wide span of the population today. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released statistics with overwhelming figures regarding the incidence and prevalence of hearing loss in the country. In a brief summary, about twenty-percent of adult Americans report of having hearing problems. In addition, in ages sixty and above, this percentage rises up to thirty percent.

The Types of Hearing Loss

Hearing loss can be conductive, sensorineural, or mixed. Conductive hearing loss is due to obstructions in the outer and middle ear. This type of ear problem can be treated through medical and surgical options.

Sensorineural hearing loss on the other hand is a more severe type of disorder. The loss of hearing is caused by the degradation of hair cells (responsible for the detection of sounds) inside the inner ear. Hearing aids are usually used for this type of problem.

The mixed type of hearing loss is obviously the combination of both the conductive and the sensorineural types. Hearing aids are also prescribed for this type of loss.

Hearing Loss is not Exclusive to the Elderly

Hearing loss is a sensual disorder that is common in the elder population. However, more and more children and adults are now contracting this disability. In fact, the prevalence of hearing loss occurs across any age. People often think that only the elderly can have this kind of problem. The truth is, most hearing loss cases (about sixty-five percent) occur in individuals younger than sixty-five years old.

In addition, almost more than six million Americans (in ages between 18 and 44) suffer from hearing loss. About one and a half school-aged children are affected by it too. These figures just show that hearing loss affects the human population more than what most people think of.

The Fight against Hearing Loss

The advent of modern science and technology in this century has paved the way for a good fight against hearing impairment. One of the advanced devices people use to combat hearing loss is a hearing aid. Hearing aids are like gifts of heaven to people who suffer from hearing problems. In addition to hearing aids, medical and surgical options are also there to the rescue.

Preventing Further Ear Damage

Apart from providing treatment modalities to hearing loss, people nowadays are more inclined on finding ways of preventing the said problem more than curing it. Aside from genetics, most factors that cause hearing loss are actually highly avoidable. For instance, today’s generation is highly fond of audio devices such as MP3 players and ipods.

People, most especially teens and younger adults spend a lot of time listening to audio tracks using these portable devices. Too much listening to audio portable devices has detrimental effects to one’s hearing capabilities. Responsible use of these gadgets must be practiced to prevent hearing loss.

No person deserves to be deprived of his or her sense of hearing. That is why  the fight against hearing loss should be strengthened through preventive measures, increased campaigns, and health education.

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